Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-07-20
NORTHWESTERN NEWS.

A disastrous flood occurred Saturday
atThompson Falls, Idaho. A big dam, con-
structed year ago on one side of Blossom
lake to afford water for the placer mines of
that region, suddenly yielded to the immense
pressure of the lake, situated at high alti-
tude on the Bitter Root divide. Vast
masses of water came rolling down the
steep canyon with resistless force. 1t made
q rushing noise that was heard for miles.
Rocks and trees we're torn out and swept
along like chat. The Thompson Falls road
extended along the course of the freshet,
and the thoroughfare is reported to be to-
tally destroyed for miles. A stage loaded
with passengers was passing up the road
when the food came down the mountain
side. The driver just escaped by running
his horses to high ground. The flood
poured past for one hour, cutting wide
channel and tearing deep chasms. Many
wagons and teams are reported swept away,
bridges destroyed and large damage to
property. It is feared that lives have been
lost. It is reported that the mining towns of
Mountain City and York will be nearly de-
stroyed. Mail communication is inter-
rupted and the Miles Telegraph line annihil-
ated. A number of freight teams were sup
posed to be on the road at the time. They
have certainly been lost. Ths disaster is a
very serious one to mining prospects.
The following storms were reported
from Dakota on the 18th. Columbia-A de-.
structive hail and wind storm swept through
this place last midnight. 1t is estimated
tnat $40, 600 worth of wheat was destroyed.
Lightning killed several head of stock and
struck the court house here. The heavy
rain prevented fire. Breckenridge-A
ridge at 2 O'Clock this morning. The light
ming struck T. Wyvell's furniture store and
dwelling above. 1t passed down the chin
ney into the stove, which it exploded. 1t
then passed down the studdings to the store
below, where it did some damage: smashing
nearly every window in the building No
one was injured. At Wahpeton, OAK, one
mile distant, the Northern Pacific depot was
burned to the ground. Jameston-The farm
residence of R. Sydmore was struck by
lightning and burned early this morning
during heavy thunder storm: Loss, 5000;
Marine.
HurleyWis was the scene Of second
disastrous fire on the evening of the 10th,
which originated on the stage of the Alcazar
variety theatre, and before they could escape
seventeen persons were burned to death, all
of them connected with the theatre. The
fire swept on until the heart of the city was
a mass OF flames, and some eighty buildings
were consumed. This, with previous fire,
destroyed nearly all the business portion of
the town, and the losses by the two fires
reach 5000, ono, and the insurance was merely
nominal. Nearly 800 people suffered losses
and good many all they possessed, and are
reduced to the necessity OF living in tents
$ According to the Signal Service re-
port at st. Paul, July IL, with the mercury
at 95, was the hottest day ever experienced
there, save one, July !. 1888, when the re-
port was 100. The same stage of heat pre-
vailed generally throughout the Northwest,
producing maximum OF physical discom-
fort Two deaths occurred at st. Paul on
the 18th, from heat prostration. The lake
resorts were no cooler than the more crowd
ed cities and towns and there was no cool
Ing shade to be found anywhere. $780,
Charles City, Iowa, special: The
chinch bugs have destroyed large portion
of the wheat of this section, injured oats
and barley, and are now doing considerable
damage to the corn, several OF the outside
rows to some fields are already dead from
their effects. In 1885 they did some damage,
but early in July q great rain destroyed
them. Besides being very dry, Tuesday,
intensely hot, 90 to SO deg. in the shade.
The tame hay crop Is estimated at about
one-third. $40 ctttS&$s$ !.
A young girl at Milwaukee committed
suicide Tuesday by jumping into the river,
She had been at work as q domestic and
complaint had been made to her father that
she was keeping late hours and bad com
pany. The father threatened to send her to
the Industrial school, hence the suicide.
Friday afternoon while loading hay
with q hay loader John W. Wratses, living
three miles from Spring Valley, Mimi, had